


late afternoon sunshine

by earlgrey_milktea



Series: as long as you stand by me (ffxv works) [8]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Falling In Love, Fluff, Friendship, Friendship/Love, M/M, Promptis Week, high school era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-11
Updated: 2017-09-11
Packaged: 2018-12-26 14:49:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12061194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/earlgrey_milktea/pseuds/earlgrey_milktea
Summary: a little revelation on a rainy tuesday afternoon.or, prompto makes a mess, but noctis doesn't mind at all.





	late afternoon sunshine

**Author's Note:**

> **the moment of realization**
> 
>  
> 
> ♫ i can see clearly now, the rain is gone ♫

They’re at the diner when it hits Noctis.

It’s late Tuesday afternoon, after a few rounds at the arcade after school. The rain picked up as they left, so they ducked under their jackets and headed for the diner instead of Noct’s apartment, as it’s closer. The place is bustling, conversation and upbeat music a muted hum from their booth. 

Prompto’s going on about some photographer he’s following online. Noctis is listening, he really is, because while Prompto talks a lot—now that he’s comfortable in Noct’s presence, that is; he seemed to always hold himself back before, as if afraid that he’s taking up too much of the silence, that he’s taking up too much space, except he could never, but Noctis hasn’t managed to figure out how to tell him that just yet—Prompto talks a lot, but he’s fascinating when he talks. His face becomes all sorts of animated, his eyes sparkle, his voice lilts up and down like a song. Sometimes, his hands move along with his words, and Noctis finds himself watching those slender fingers as if they spell out a secret. Prompto tells stories with every breath, and they never fail to tease a smile out of Noctis.

Now, sitting under the lowlights of the diner, Prompto’s usually bouncy hair is slightly frizzy from the rain, curling up at the ends. Noctis has the sudden urge to reach out and touch that messy blond hair. His cheeks are still slightly flushed from the run over. Prompto has said before that he hates his pale skin and how easily he blushes, yet Noctis can’t help but think it’s cute. 

A lot of things about Prompto are cute, actually. The way he texts back right away, punctuated with emoticons and stickers. The way his clothes are always altered slightly with his own brand of sewn-on patches and low-hanging straps. The way he insists on buying all the chocobo merch available despite never having seen a real chocobo in his life, ever. The way he smiles and the whole room seems to brighten and Noctis is so, so gay.

Their fries arrive, and Prompto immediately gets to work with the ketchup. Noctis doesn’t know how he can stand the taste of that red goop. He picks at his side of the tray, watching his friend shake the bottle up and down.

“Need a little help there?” Noctis says.

Prompto frowns at the bottle. He upends it and taps the bottom. “It’s jammed, I think.”

“Try squeezing it.”

“I am!”

“Wait, don’t—”

Noctis’ warning comes too late. The bottle makes a wet squelching sound, and then ketchup is squirting everywhere. It’s all over the table, over the little condiment rack, over their clothes, in Prompto’s hair. Noctis isn’t sure if any even managed to land in the fries at all. 

He blinks at Prompto. 

Prompto blinks back.

“Oh em gee,” Prompto whispers. “I’m so sorry.” A splat of ketchup is painted across his cheek. His blue eyes are wide, his expression of shock and horror almost comical. He looks absolutely ridiculous, but Noctis wants nothing more than to lean over and kiss the heck out of him.

And it hits Noctis right then.

He’s so hopelessly in love with this boy.

Slowly, Noctis wipes the ketchup from his own face. He snorts. And then he’s full on laughing, doubled over and slapping his knee. Prompto blinks at him some more, before he’s joining in, too. The waiter finally notices them and hurries over with napkins. Noctis just laughs.

When they’ve wiped the worst of it off themselves and commandeered the bathroom, Noctis leans against the door and watches Prompto wash off the ketchup in his hair. His eyeliner is a little smudged now. He’s pouting, Noctis realizes. 

“Can we just agree to forget this ever happened,” Prompto says, shaking his head back and forth. He’s spraying water all over Noct, but Noctis doesn’t mention it.

“Okay,” he says instead.

Prompto lifts his head and stares at him. “Seriously? You’re not going to tell Gladio about it like when I told him about the time you fell asleep in the middle of a rock concert?”

Noctis rolls his eyes. “It was bad music, okay.”

“Personal opinion! But seriously, you’re just going to keep quiet?”

“Yeah.” 

“Dude, I love you!” Prompto beams at him, dazzling and radiant.

Noctis blinks rapidly. He doesn’t tell Prompto that at that point, he probably would have said yes to anything Prompto asked of him. If Prompto wanted to order the entire menu at this diner, Noct would hand over his sleek black card. If Prompto wanted to sneak into the Citadels to take pictures from the skyscraping towers, Noct would take him there right now. If Prompto wanted to venture beyond the Wall and go ride an actual chocobo, Noct would swipe the keys to Iggy’s car and go. 

If Prompto wanted the world, Noctis would drop his crown, abandon his right to the throne, and give up this whole kingdom for him.

But Prompto would never ask for that. So Noctis keeps quiet.

“Let’s get the fries to go,” Noctis says. 

“You think they’ll let me take their ketchup to go?”

Noctis follows his friend out the door. He looks at the way the excess water shines amongst the blond strands, the rosy pink cheeks, the sheepish smile. This swelling warmth in his chest is familiar, but now he finally knows what it is. For now, though, Noctis thinks he’ll keep it to himself just a little longer.

He looks at Prompto, and finds the sun.

**Author's Note:**

> @puddingcatbae on tumblr/twitter!!


End file.
